Here's a weird one for ya'...what do I do with THIS?!?

[Mom2katiebug]

Okay...I'm sure you lovely ladies are getting tired of me complaining what a terrible sleeper my DD is, the contast night wakings, yada, yada, yada.  We've been through all the likely causes, hunger (could be), teething (likely), separation anxiety (maybe), undertired (not so much), overtired (probably).  But I've got a new one for ya:  I think she's pulling her own hair during her sleep.  She woke up screaming right after going to sleep and I went in to settle her and re-cribbed her.  About 5 minutes later, screaming again.  I decided to AP a little bit to get her a little more drowsy for the crib and during our cuddle, she started pulling her own hair.  If I held one hand, she pulled with the other.  If I covered her hair with my hand, she started pulling mine. 

And...I'm embarassed to admit it, but she gets it from me.  I have been known not to pull my hair when I sleepl, but I run my fingers through it.  I guess I work the tangles out or something.  There have been nights that my DH has woken me up cuz he thought I was either going to be bald or bleeding by morning.

So...if this is the culprit, what do I do about it?  we do have a pair of mittens that I'm going to put on her tonight when she goes back to bed.  Is this the only solution?!?  Have you ever heard of this?  DH says he's going to shave her head!  Please help!!!

Thank you!

[Jo-FrasersMum]

Hi Casey

To me it sounds like a self soothing thing - particuarly because you do it too.  I know that my DS went through a short phase of hair pulling (his own hair) during breastfeeding - so for him it must have been an enjoyable sensation.  My DS also now rubs his eyes and face A LOT when settling down to sleep - I tried at first to hold his hands down because it upset him so much but eventually I decided that I couldn't be there all the time to hold his hands down so I have just let him learn what it feels like and learn how much he wants to rub his face/eyes.  Sometimes he does still get agitated and it does take him longer to settle when he is really rubbing hard but I just stay with him to soothe him if he needs my help and just give him the space to learn about his own soothing.

Not sure if that helps but that's my take on it.
Good luck
Jo

[Mom2katiebug]

I suppose it's a soothing thing...I always think of it as an automatic pilot action.  I will wakeup sometimes and stop, fall asleep and start again.  It's not the most restful of nights when it happens. 

We tried the mittens, but I pulled them off cuz she can't grab her lovey or her paci with them on. 

[Colin Macs Mom]

LOL Casey, you crack me up. 

The hair thing is actually not terribly uncommon - I think it's Ennypen who's DS plays with his hair while falling asleep. I guess the trick is to get her to not hurt herself?

[Mom2katiebug]

Yeah...I'm not sure how to do that!  I guess she'll just have to learn what works and what hurts!

[deb]

Have you tried putting a soft blanket in her hands as she's drifting off? Maybe she'd start stroking it or pulling at it the same way?

Failing that, how about a doll with some hair for her to caress as a lovey?

[Mom2katiebug]

I don't think the blanket would work - she has several soft lovies that she sleeps with and really likes.  I think the doll/hair idea is a good one.  The dolls she has right now are kinda' big...I'll have to find one that's a smidge smaller with yarn-y hair for her to stroke/pull. 

Thanks!

[fleadle]

Have you tried scratch mits or a hat or will she just pull these off.

My dd plays with her hair to settle herself to sleep, but not to such an extreme, although she sometimes has scabs in her ears where she does the same thing?